r one has
received the grace of pardon, the greater the ingratitude. But there
are sins more grievous than these, such as blasphemy against God, and
the sin against the Holy Ghost. Therefore it seems that sins already
pardoned do not return through ingratitude as manifested in these
sins, any more than as shown in other sins.

Obj. 2: Further, Rabanus says: "God delivered the wicked servant to
the torturers, until he should pay the whole debt, because a man will
be deemed punishable not only for the sins he commits after Baptism,
but also for original sin which was taken away when he was baptized."
Now venial sins are reckoned among our debts, since we pray in their
regard: "Forgive us our trespasses (_debita_)." Therefore they too
return through ingratitude; and, in like manner seemingly, sins
already pardoned return through venial sins, and not only through
those sins mentioned above.

Obj. 3: Further, ingratitude is all the greater, according as one
sins after receiving a greater favor. Now innocence whereby one
avoids sin is a Divine favor, for Augustine says (Confess. ii):
"Whatever sins I have avoided committing, I owe it to Thy grace." Now
innocence is a greater gift, than even the forgiveness of all sins.
Therefore the first sin committed after innocence is no less an
ingratitude to God, than a sin committed after repentance, so that
seemingly ingratitude in respect of the aforesaid sins is not the
chief cause of sins returning.

_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Moral. xviii [*Cf. Dial. iv]): "It
is evident from the words of the Gospel that if we do not forgive
from our hearts the offenses committed against us, we become once
more accountable for what we rejoiced in as forgiven through
Penance": so that ingratitude implied in the hatred of one's brother
is a special cause of the return of sins already forgiven: and the
same seems to apply to the others.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1), sins pardoned through
Penance are said to return, in so far as their debt of punishment, by
reason of ingratitude, is virtually contained in the subsequent sin.
Now one may be guilty of ingratitude in two ways: first by doing
something against the favor received, and, in this way, man is
ungrateful to God in every mortal sin whereby he offends God Who
forgave his sins, so that by every subsequent mortal sin, the sins
previously pardoned return, on account of the ingratitude. Secondly,
one is guilty of ingratitude, b